Is there enough demand to justify a twenty cent piece book?

[shirohniichan]

I searched through the ANS Library catalog and edited my results down to the following:

 

1. Gilkes, Paul. Effort in futility : 20-cent denomination failed to catch on. (2001)

2. Julian, R. W. Twenty-cent piece became four-year flop / by R.W. Julian.

3. Gilkes, Paul. Short-lived 20-cent coin denomination result of frontier desire to make change.

4. Bowers, Q. David. United States dimes, quarters, and half dollars : an action guide for the collector and investor / by Q. David Bowers. (1986)

5. Andersen, Paul. The twenty-cent piece, 1875-1878. (1978)

6. Borckardt, Mark. A closer look at the 20-cent piece. (1995)

7. Alexander, David T. Patterns reflect history of 20-cent piece / David T. Alexander. (1989)

8. Hammer, Ted R. The twenty cent piece. (1947)

9. Fazzari, F. A counterfeit 1876-CC twenty-cent piece seen. (1989)

10. Ganz, David L. The coin that failed : the 20 cent piece was the "ideal" coin, but never accepted.

11. Curtis, James W. A suggested type set of pattern twenty cent pieces. (1949)

12. Hill, Kenneth R. Varieties of the 1875-S twenty cent piece. (1992)

13. Heninger, John M. The United States twenty cent piece. (1991)

14. Fivaz, Bill. The 1875-s twenty cent piece, repunched date low : a follow up. (1988)

15. Julian, R. W. Learning from our mistakes : the ill-fated 20 cent piece should have taught us a lesson about public rejection. (1988)

16. Julian, R. W. Why the twenty-cent piece failed. (1985)

17. Johnsen, Montfort A. The 1876-CC twenty cent piece. (1980)

18. Foster, Charles W. Die varieties of the U.S. twenty-cent pieces. (1933)

19. Irwin, R.W. The twenty cent pieces. (1964)

20. Giedroyc, Richard. Citizens 'vote' 20-cent coin as most unpopular. (1991)

21. LaMarre, Tom. The commoner's coin : John Percival Jones' push for a 20-cent coin belied his intelligence. (1988)

22. Midyette, Jason. The twenty-cent piece : a common mistake. (1987)

23. Silverman, Joseph. Why the twenty-cent piece was coined. (1940)

24. Silverman, Joseph. Why the twenty-cent piece was coined. (1979)

25. Reiter, Ed. 1877's most special coin. (1993)

26. Rosen, Maurice. Proof twenty cent pieces. (1993)

27. Radeker, William T. The 20-cent coin : a predictable failure. (1993)

28. Rauch, Roy. The 1875-S branch mint proof twenty cent piece. (1975)

29. Smith, Harry E. An unusual 1875-S twenty cent piece. (1988)

30. Young, Raymond A. A nickel short of two bits. (1975)

31. Young, Raymond A. Was the 20-cent piece planned as an international coin? (1966)

32. Taylor, J. Sherrod. Twenty-cent pieces. (1965)

33. White, R. B. The 1875-S twenty cent branch mint proof : identification of the dies. (1974)

34. White, Weimar W. A survey of auction records for twenty-cent pieces. (1987)

 

I have found a few articles not listed here, and I have only been able to find a few on the list to read.

 

Am I missing anything else?

 

I am wondering whether I should edit my research into a full-blown book including the generally known history of the coin or publish my argument for why the coin failed in a scholarly journal. There is no book on the double dime yet (except for Paul Anderson's booklet), so maybe that would fill a numismatic lacunae. On the other hand, a journal article or shorter monograph would be easier to get published.

 

[physics-fan3.14]

I think a book would be good. The thing with these articles is - yeah, they might be chock full of great info, but very few people have easy access to them. Its hard to find the articles, hard to collect the info, hard to process it. And then of course you have different authors making different claims. A book condenses it all into one place.

[TomB]

If you write a book on the subject I would let you give me a copy.

[Coindude]

How bout a pamphlet?

[shirohniichan]

If you write a book on the subject I would let you give me a copy.

 

Would you like me to e-mail you an mp3 file of me reading it to you, also? I can do it in a Japanese accent if you'd like.

[James_OldeTowne]

Is there enough demand to justify a twenty cent piece book?

No. It would be like a book on everything you need to know about the Yugo.

[jesbroken]

I have a list of where all the articles you list are found if anyone would want it. Just pm me and I'll send it to you in a word format.

Jim

[michael]

a great book but no i do not think there is enough demand

[coinman1794]

I'm sure there isnt enough interest to make a bestseller, blockbuster numismatic masterpiece on 20 Cent peices, but you could write a book for your own reasons. Historians do this all the time, with no hope of success, or profit

[astrostu]

Speaking as an academic who publishes papers in scholarly journals, I say ... book.

[gmarguli]

I don't think there is enough demand for it, but that hasn't stopped most numismatic books from being published.

 

 

[Conder101]

If you have enough material go with the book. And if you are worried about finding a publisher or the up front costs, look into some of the "Print on demand" publishers. No upfront costs and people who want a copy just order it from the publisher, they then print and send it out, you and the publisher split the money. When you submit the manuscript, usually as a PDF file, you design the book in size, cover type excetera and they tell you what the cost per book will be, you decide haw much extra you want as a royalty per book, they add the cost and the royalty and that is the advertised price per book. It is really very simple, and the cost per book tends to be very reasonable.

 

If I ever get the second edition of the Slab book finished I'm looking at lulu.com From doing some checking it looks like I will be able to have it printed as a hardbound book, take some profit, and still have it cost about the same as the comb bound first edition.

[disme]

Adding to the body of knowledge, or merely compiling diverse sources

into a handy reference, is always a worthwhile project.

 

Disme

[tenacious]

I can guarantee you one sale, and much appreciation.

 

 

EDIT: Actually, this would probably describe the venture. The sales may be low, but the appreciation would be high.

[shirohniichan]

I'm sure there isnt enough interest to make a bestseller, blockbuster numismatic masterpiece on 20 Cent peices, but you could write a book for your own reasons. Historians do this all the time, with no hope of success, or profit

 

Yea, verily.

 

My own reason for beginning the research that led to the Numismatist article and on to a potential book is that I couldn't find satisfactory answers as to the coin's genesis. None of the theories I read answered my questions to my satisfaction, and my initial research proved some of them wrong.

 

If I still lived in Hiroshima I'd probably be writing a book on medieval Japanese castles.

[RWB]

20-cent pieces and medieval Japanese castles --- almost the same.

[shirohniichan]

20-cent pieces and medieval Japanese castles --- almost the same.

 

They're both obsolete.

[RWB]

Well, for what it's worth, I think it is a worthwhile project - and a very difficult one. A solidly researched reference on the subject would be a must-have in every coin shop and coin reference library.

[jesbroken]

I agree with RWB. I cannot imagine anyone collecting premodern era coinage that would not want such a book. As to whether that would make it a successful endeavor or not, I cannot say. I know I would buy it for sure.

Jim

[World Colonial]

Is there enough demand to justify a twenty cent piece book?

No. It would be like a book on everything you need to know about the Yugo.

 

I agree. What is there to say that would take up a book for such a short lived series?

[shirohniichan]

Is there enough demand to justify a twenty cent piece book?

No. It would be like a book on everything you need to know about the Yugo.

 

I agree. What is there to say that would take up a book for such a short lived series?

 

If I were to write strictly about the coins, I think there wouldn't be enough to write about. The funny thing is that after years and years of researching for the book, I've done very little study on die varieties and minutiae regarding the double dime.

 

What will take up enough room and make the project a book worth reading is the background information necessary to understand the double dime in context. Why was it made? Why did it fail? Why it failed was easier to figure out than why it was made, and there are already good articles out there on its failure. Even so, I have dug up some information on its failure that will add to the study.

 

I'm afraid my recent reading has drawn me into more tangents, but I am enjoying the side trips.

[RWB]

Many of the tangents can also give your book greater utility for the future. Think of it as how many would be sold in 5 years, or ten years, not one year.

 

I expect this work to be the standard for a very long time, provided it is well researched and includes good source references.

 

[shirohniichan]

I just read RW Julian's article entitled "Why the 20-cent Piece Failed", published in the December 1985 issue of Coins magazine. By far this is the best treatment of the double dime I have read. I have only a couple more articles to read until I've read the bulk of the published info on the coin.

[RWB]

Great!

 

With no publisher pushing you, you can concentrate on quality not page count or a deadline. You'll know when you're finished.

[cameron12x]

I'd buy... I love that little series!

[coinman23885-migration]

Me too. I love twenty cent pieces. It represents a nice series with a lot of history. Plus, there's the fact that it is a short series, and if you have enough capital, you can build a top notch set fairly quickly.

[coinman23885-migration]

If you write a book on the subject I would let you give me a copy.

 

Would you like me to e-mail you an mp3 file of me reading it to you, also? I can do it in a Japanese accent if you'd like.

 

I'd love a mp3 version. I know you meant it as a joke, but if you change your mind, feel free to email me. I love audio books - all the advantages of reading without all the eye strain (and this is coming from a book worm)!

 

coinman23885@gmail.com

[RWB]

This is a book that would probably not be duplicated during the author's lifetime. Something comprehensive and in depth will sell year after year - not huge quantities, but as the only resource.

[RockMyAmadeus]

Yes, but only if you included a chapter on the history and careers of the major politicians who advanced the idea, as well as a chapter detailing the careers of every single 76-CC known, from strike to today.

 

[shirohniichan]

Yes, but only if you included a chapter on the history and careers of the major politicians who advanced the idea, as well as a chapter detailing the careers of every single 76-CC known, from strike to today.

 

 

That would make for a long book indeed.

 

"Ex-Norweb specimen:

Day 1, Feb. 3, 1876-- Struck, counted, bagged.

Day 2, Feb. 4, 1876-- Stayed in storage.

Day 3, Feb. 5, 1876-- Stayed in storage..."

 

Reading through the Congressional record has been interesting indeed. A snippet on John P. Jones would be interesting, but I doubt I'll do much on people as opposed to events and political philosophies.